Automatic safety-reservoir for hydrocarbon-burners



(No Model.) l ShetsShee1; 1.

M. A. SHEPARD. Automatic Safety Reservoir for Hydrocarbon Burners.

No. 239,988.. Patented' April 12,1881.

Fig.2.

M E 2 M UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MORRILL A. SHEPARD, OI LEBANON, ILLINOIS.

AUT OMATlC SAFETY-RESERVOIR FOR HYDROCARBON-BURNERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 239,988, dated April 12, 1881.

Application filed January 17, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MORRILL A. SHEPARD, of thecity of Lebanon, in the county of St. Clair andState of Illinois, have invented a new and Improved Automatic SafetyReservoir for Hydrocarbon-Burners, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figurel is an elevation, partly in section. Fig. 3 is a top. view of the bracket-frame for shelf and to support the cooking-utensils. Fig. 4 shows the improvement as applied to streetlamps, 850., and Fig. 5 shows the same as applied to chandeliers, 85c.

The object of my invention is to secure a safety-reservoir for hydrocarbons, and more especially gasoline or other light oils, when used in connection with a stove orto create light. The great advantage of myimprove ment is the construction of a reservoir so arranged thatiit is impossible to fill the same whilethe hydrocarbonsin the burners are burnin g or lighted. This deficiency heretofore has proved the most objectionable feature of a gasoline-stove, and has been the main source of the dreadful and serious accidents attendin g the use of gasoline and oil stoves, notwithstanding all the warnings repeatedly given not to fill the can or tank by any means while the burners are lighted.

In the place of the ordinary gasoline-can elevated on a small tube sufficiently high to create a hydrostatic pressure sufficient to force the gasoline through the small opening into the gas-generator, I use an upright reservoir or cylinder, D, Fig. 1,for ordinary stoves, about four feet high and of a diameter sufficiently large to answer the demands of the store, which can be secured to the bracketB, attached to the ordinary stove-frame, A. In this upright reservoir D is placed a movable plunger, E, (which can be turned out of wood or made of suitable sheet metal,) which is put into the upright reservoir D, in which it is intended to work loosely, and is designed to occupy about three-fourths of the vertical space.

It will be apparent, by reference to the drawings, Fig. 2, that when the plunger, E rests on the bottom of the reservoir the gasoline or oil will surround and most of it will rise and occupy the top of the reservoir D, which,

by virtue of its elevation, will produce the necessary hydrostatic pressure to force it into the su 'iply-pipes L. which are attached at one I, attached to the float I,Fig. 1,) the plunger E isdrawn up to the top of the reservoir D. By this act the gasoline or oil around the plunger E and in the supply-pipes L, by its gravity, flows from the burners into this drain-reservoir, and thereby atonce extinguishes the burners before the filling-hole f in the handle F comes out of the neck of the reservoir D, so as to allow it to be refilled, it being the only place and position in which the reservoir can be refilled. This hollow handle F, with knob H, Fig. l, is attached to the plunger E, and has a filling-hole, and an exit-hole,f, for the fluid to pass from the handle into the reservoir D,"

and through the knob H is passed the indicating-wire 1. Attached to it is the float I, for the purpose of indicating the amount offluid in the reservoir D. The screw-cap G is fastened to the handle, so that when the plunger, after refilling, is pressed down it may be screwed onto the neck of the reservoir D, for the double purpose of holding the plunger down and also to close the neck of the reservoir D.

In order to arrest any leakage in the oil or gasoline reservoir D, or any spilling of the same while filling, and to keep the hydrocarbon at a low temperature and to protect it from the heat of the tire, I use another similar tank or water-jacket, (J, but of I a little larger dimension, in which the oil or gasoline reservoir D will stand and leave a smalt space all around, which is to be filled with water. The top of said water-tank C may be left open and extend as high as the top of the neck of the oil-reservoir D, or higher. Now,'in the event of any leakage in the oil or gasoline reservoir D, the oil, by virtue of its small-specific gravity, in coming in contact with the water around the surface of the tank, will at once come to the top, where it can be seen and drawn oft. Besides this, the top of the water-tank will form a basin around the neck of the reservoir D, so that if any fluid is spilled while fillingit will fall into this basin, and not run and be diffused over the tank, as in many former instances, when it would most invariably take fire, and thereby heat the gasoline-can, and cause it to boil over and create a great alarm, and often a disastrous fire. These difficulties are overcome in my improvement, as the water between the reservoir D and tank 0 forms a permanent cool and non-conducting partition between the burning-fluid and outer surface 5 and, furthermore, when I use these reservoirs in connection with pipes to elevate oils or gasoline from a lower to a higher level, Fig. 4., for the purpose of retailing hydrocarbons or lighting buildings or streets, I prefer, for perfect safety, to use a double pipe, one within the other, the inside oneto contain the hydrocarbon, and the space between the inner and outer pipes to be filled with water, to answer the same object and end stated in regard to the water-tank O. This plan will efl'ectuall y obviate the danger of light oils leaking, this leakage vaporizing and its vapor (being heav-- 'ier than air) settling into cellars or rooms,

where it would remain for almost an indefinite period to await the approach of a careless or unsuspecting person with a light or fire, when a sudden explosion would inevitably take place. As stated. the water between the inner and outer pipes, in whatever direction they may run, will cause this leakage to find its way to the basin at the top of the watertank 0, there to be seen and drawn off.

. In Fig.2 my improved reservoir is shown as constituting a substitute for the ordinary frame shown in Fig. 1, (to answer in the place of the ordinary stove-frame, A, as shown in Fig. 1,) which has pivotal connection at A to its supporting base or legs A, preferably bolted to the fioor, as shown, or to a substantial base for safety. To this reservoir-frame, in a cheap,

. convenient, and substantial manner, may be secured the burning-fluid pipes L L, with burners M, the continuous bracket J J J, Fig. 3, to form rests for the cooking-utensils, and also shelves K K. In such a frame one or more burners may be used, and the frame being supported on a pivot, articles while cooking needing less attention can readily be revolved to the back of the stove.

The application of my improvement for lamps and chandeliers is shown in Fig. 5. The brackets A arefastened to the ceiling, to which can be secured the pulley 0, over which a cord, N, may pass, by which the plunger E may readily be drawn up to fill or to extinguish all the lights simultaneously, and in order to thus act freely the screw-cap G may be simply a cap fitting loosely around the top of the tube F. At Fig. 4 is shown my improvement in connection with lighting buildings, street-lamps, 850. Also, this principle of a large reservoir and heavy plunger serves to illustrate its application to an apparatus for elevating from a storageroom in a cellar or secure fountain to an upper room for retailing or use various h ydrocarbons or fluids.

I claim as my invention 1. A receptacle, D, containing a movable plunger or body, E, and having passages or pipes L, leading to the hydrocarbon-burner M, and communicating with the reservoir above bottom of the reservoir, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The receptacle D, supported on pivot A and supplied with burners whose supply-pipes communicate with said receptacle above its bottom, in combination with the movable plunger or body E, operating substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the receptacle D, plunger E, and burner-supply pipes L, constructed substantially as set forth, of the feedpipe F, attached to the plunger, having feedorifiees ff, the latter being exposed by lifting the plunger in the receptacle, for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination of the plunger E, feedpipe F, and index-float I with the receptacle D, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

MORRILL A. SHEPARD.

Witnesses J. W. BECK, 0. B. SHEPARD. 

